Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund
The Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund is a private foundation based in Beachwood, Ohio. It made 11 grants totaling $37,750 in 2024, including grants for educational programs, a high school retreat, room dedication, scholarships, and youth and camp programs. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 9 grants totaling $41,750.
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund at a glance
In short: Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund gave $42K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $41,750
- +10.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,639
- +35.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $765,257
- +0.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Ohio (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2023 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists Barry A. Lefko as the contact, states that no form or materials are required, and indicates no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None is listed.
- Deadline
- None is listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Barry A Lefko
Mailing address: 24195 Wendover Dr, Beachwood, OH 44122
Phone: (212) 663-3963
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fuchs Mizrachi School ($14K). Together the top 9 received $42K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 47 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 5% to recipients in New York, and 1% to recipients in New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $35K (2020) to $42K (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $42K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fuchs Mizrachi School University Heights, OH | High School Retreat | $14,000 |
| Hebrew Academy of Cleveland Cleveland, OH | Room Dedication | $10,000 |
| Gross Schechter Day School Pepper Pike, OH | Educational Program | $7,500 |
| Camp Stone Beachwood, OH | Scholarships | $5,000 |
| American Friends of Yeshivat Kol Tzofayiah Beachwood, OH | Educational Program | $3,000 |
| Green Road Synagogue Beachwood, OH | Youth Program and Camp Stone Scholarships | $1,500 |
| Children's Bridge of Zichron Menachem New York, NY | Educational Program | $250 |
| Zaka Telaviv Jackson Township, NJ | General Support. | $250 |
| United Hatzalah Cleveland, OH | General Support | $250 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $765,257 | $46,957 | $45,470 | $41,750 | 9 | $43,600 | $44,607 | $44,878 |
| 2024 | $763,770 | $35,753 | $41,745 | $37,750 | 11 | $39,675 | $33,701 | $41,935 |
| 2023 | $769,762 | $23,173 | $44,064 | $39,250 | 11 | $41,200 | $21,420 | $38,814 |
| 2022 | $790,653 | $76,537 | $43,441 | $37,455 | 8 | $39,338 | $74,852 | $41,001 |
| 2021 | $771,897 | $71,936 | $40,166 | $36,765 | 8 | — | $70,335 | $42,237 |
| 2020 | $743,077 | $37,478 | $39,593 | $34,968 | 7 | — | $35,926 | $36,140 |
| 2019 | $759,886 | $63,347 | $41,164 | $35,573 | 8 | — | $61,833 | $37,465 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund reported a distributable amount of $45K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the funder is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for schools and educational programs, camps and youth activities, scholarships, and organizations providing emergency or humanitarian services.
Among its grantees, an individual recipient Day School describes its mission as inspiring students to love learning, become their best selves, and embrace Jewish practice, values, and community. Hebrew Academy of Cleveland says it seeks to foster students’ love of God, Torah, and Eretz Yisroel and prepare them for excellence in Torah and general knowledge. American Friends of Magen David Adom says it supports Magen David Adom’s life-saving efforts in Israel; Children’s Bridge of Zichron Menachem Inc. describes its work as supporting children and families affected by childhood cancer; and American Friends of Meir Panim says it supports food and social-service programs for people in need.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund made 11 grants totaling $37,750. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $10,000, with a median of $1,500. The largest grants were $10,000 to Fuchs Mizrachi School for a high school retreat; $7,000 each to an individual recipient Day School for an educational program and Hebrew Academy of Cleveland for a room dedication; $6,000 to Camp Stone for scholarships; and $4,000 to American Friends of Yeshivat Kol Tzofayiah for an educational program. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 9 grants totaling $41,750.
Other 2024 grants included $1,500 to Green Road Synagogue for a youth program and Camp Stone scholarships; $750 to American Friends of United Hatzalah for general support; $500 each to American Friends of Magen David Adom and ZAKA Tel Aviv for general support; and $250 each to Children’s Bridge of Zichron Menachem and American Friends of Meir Panim. The grant to Children’s Bridge of Zichron Menachem was for an educational program; the grant to American Friends of Meir Panim was for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Barry A. Lefko, Steven Soclof, and Michael Wieder as trustees.
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barry A. Lefko
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Wieder
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven Soclof
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund
How much does Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund give each year?
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund gave $42K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $38K across 11 grants.
What is Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's typical grant size?
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $4,639, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund give grants?
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund gives mostly in Ohio: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Beachwood, OH (3 grants) and Cleveland, OH (2 grants).
Does Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 22% of Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Educational Program" (3 grants).
Who are Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's largest grantees?
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Fuchs Mizrachi School ($14,000), Hebrew Academy of Cleveland ($10,000) and Gross Schechter Day School ($7,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund?
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund reported $765K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $44K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $45K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund fund?
No mission statement for the funder is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for schools and educational programs, camps and youth activities, scholarships, and organizations providing emergency or humanitarian services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund?
The foundation’s 2023 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's EIN?
Norman Spero Day School Endowment Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3598882. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 12, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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